Pokorný Petr

Prof., ThDr., DrSc., Dr. h. c. mult.
Born April 21, 1933 in Brno, † 2020 

  • Biblical Studies: New Testament, hermeneutics
  • Greek literature of late antiquity
  • Member of Learned Society since 2003 (2012- President)

Educational and professional preparation

  • 1943-1951, Classical secondary school, Brno;
  • 1951, began study of Protestant theology (Comenius faculty) and extra mural
    study of Greek literature (Charles University, with prof. K. Svoboda);
  • 1959, thesis submitted (defense was not allowed), ThDr. in 1963;
  • 1958, two months of studies in Bonn;
  • 1964 one term in Oxford (New Testament and Coptic) and for a half term research in the Haardt Institute for Classical Studies;
  • 1967, habilitation in New Testament exegesis;
  • 1968, dissertation in Greek literature (CSc.);
  • 1970, Associated professor and 1972 Professor, Protestant theological faculty, Prague;
  • 1978, member, Nag Hammadi III expedition in Upper Egypt;
  • 1986-1987 and 1992, for two terms visiting professor in Pittsburgh, PA
    (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and 1986 Duquesne University) and teacher
    Summer School for Postgraduates, Princeton Theological Seminary;
  • 1988-89, substitute professor at University Tübingen, 1995-1995 and 1999
    Research fellow there;
  • 1993, DrSc. in Greek literature;
  • 2003, Fellow of the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, NJ, and 2003-
    2004 and 2007, resident research fellow there;
  • 2005 series of lectures opening the curriculum of the Biblical Institute at the
    Philological Faculty of the St. Petersburgh State University;
  • 2006 summer term, research at the Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki;
  • 2010 winter term, research fellow in Forschungszentrum für internationale und
    interdisziplinäre Theologie (Heidelberg University).

Employment and academic positions

  • 1957-1967 minister of Protestant Church (Czech Brethren) in Prague
  • 1967-1968 lecturer at the University of Greifswald (Germany)
  • 1968-1999 full time teaching at the Faculty of Protestant Theology in Prague (since 1990 included into Charles University), 1995-1998 dean.
  • 1999 part time professor at the Faculty and Senior research fellow (2001-2010 director) of the Center of Biblical Studies of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University in Prague

Membership in selected domestic scientific bodies

  • 1962-1985, Member of the working group for the Czech Ecumenical Bible
    Translation;
  • 1998-2002, Member, Council of the Government of Czech Republic for
    Research and Development

Membership and positions in international organizations and societies

  • since 1967, Member (1994-1995 President), Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas;
  • 1979-1996, Member (1991-1996 Chairman) of the Scholarly Forum of the United Bible Societies

Notable awards

  • 1985, Silver Medal of the Roman Catholic Church for the Ecumenical Bible translation
  • 1995, Humboldt Award (for lifelong work)
  • 1995, Foreign Member, Academy of Sciences in Göttingen (Germany)
  • 1998, Dr. h. c. University in Bonn
  • 1999, Award, Minister of Education (for research)
  • 2000, Dr. h. c. Karólyi University in Budapest
  • 2004, Josef Dobrovský medal of the Academy of Sciences
  • 2005, State Award for Merits
    Volumes in honour of PP
    1988 EΠITOAYTO I. - Czech articles, II - English and German articles.
    ETF UK and Mlýn: Praha – Třebenice, 1998
    Testimony and Interpretation. Early Christology in Its Judaeo-Hellenistic
    Milieu, ed. by J. Mrázek and J. Roskovec (JSNTSSS 272), London – New
    York: T. & T. Clark International, 2004
    Comenius medal, Protestant Faculty of Charles University
  • 2013 Award SVU
  • 2015 Dr. h. c. St. Petersbourg State University

Selected publications

  • Počátky gnose (Beginnings of Gnosticism), Prague: Academia, 1968 (2nd ed. 1969)
  • Die Entstehung des Christologie, Berlin: EVA, 1986; lic. Stuttgart: Calwer; 1985; English Translation Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1987; paperback ibid. 1997, Czech translation Praha: Kalich, 1988
  • Der Brief der Paulus an die Kolosser (ThHKNT 10/1), Berlin: EVA, 1978, 2nd ed. 1990; English Translation: Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1991
  • Der Brief des Paulus an die Epheser (ThHKNT 10/2). Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt 1992, XXIV + 265 s.; improved 2nd ed. 2013
  • Theologie der lukanischen Schriften (FRLANT 174), Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 1998
  • (co-author U. Heckel) Einleitung in das Neue Testament. Seine Literatur und Theologie im Überblick (UTB), Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 2007; Russian translation 2012, Czech transl. 2013
  • Hermeneutics as a Theory of Understanding, Grand Rapids, MI – Cambridge,
    U.K.: Eerdmans, 2011, Czech version Praha: Vyšehrad, 2005
  • A Commentary on the Gospel of Thomas (JChTC – 5), New York – London:
    T. & T. Clark International,f 2009, paperback reprint 2012
  • From the Gospel to the Gospels. History, Theology and impact of the biblical term „euangelion“, BZNW 195) Berlin - Boston: De Gruyter 2013
  • Jesus in Geschichte und Bekenntnis, WUNT 355, Tübingen: Mohr – Siebeck 2016

Member of the editorial board of the New Testament Studies (Cambridge) 1980–1983 a 1993–1996; since 1998 member of the editorial advisory panel of the Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism (Los Angeles), 99 articles, translations, textbooks, popular publications, reviews

Zpět na seznam článků

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15.11.23

Cena za komunikaci změny klimatu pro Klimatým AMO

Osmnáctičlenný expertní Klimatým Asociace pro mezinárodní otázky (AMO)  se 15. listopadu 2023 stal v pořadí pátým laureátem Ceny za komunikaci změny klimatu v Česku, kterou zastřešují Informační centrum OSN v Praze a Učená společnost České republiky.

13.11.23

Učená společnost se připojuje k výzvě odsuzující antisemitismus

Prof. David Jan Novotný z FSV UK a dr. Věra Tydlitátová z FF ZČU zformulovali výzvu kolegům, v níž varují před narůstajícím antisemitismem a prosí kompetentní instituce, aby předsudečné nenávisti čelily všemi zákonnými prostředky. Rada Učené společnosti se k této výzvě připojuje.